Tulip Festival

We were so lucky this week to go to the tulip festival together. I sure love this kid!

And she really loves her sunglasses :)

Aquarium

It was my sister's birthday last week, and she invited us to join her for her birthday at a trip to the new aquarium. It is a pretty impressive place! S loved all the animals :)

 My sister's family

S and me

Books

S has really loved this nursery rhyme book lately. She will bring Brett or me the book and sign "please" for us to read it to her. She has alternated between her favorites.

She would giggle any time she saw the lamb.

When ever we got to this page she wanted me to do piggies for her too.

Our Part

We have been working on all the things that are required of us to get our adoption profile live, online. We are now done with our part and now it's just waiting for our caseworker to do hers, and then the waiting begins :) We are excited for the things that lie ahead!!

Crystal

I didn't want to post about Crystal until I got her permission...and I got that yesterday. Brett and I met Crystal about a month and a half ago. Crystal is a really amazing person. She has been through a lot, yet has such a good perspective on life.

We met Crystal because Brett's brother and sister in law knew her and let her mom know we were looking to adopt. Her mom sent me a text and talked to me on a Sunday night. We met Crystal on Monday. It was such a comfortable, laid back, nice "get to know you" meeting. Neither of us knew much about each other, other than she was pregnant and we were hoping to adopt. We sat and visited with her for a few hours, learned about each other, likes and dislikes and such. As soon as we left her home we ran to the store to pick up some yarn to make a gift for her than she mentioned she loved. She wanted to meet our whole family, and most local siblings were able to drop/postpone what they were doing to meet her. She wanted to know that we had a good support system. She loved them, and loved to see how relaxed and laid back things were. She told us she wanted to place her baby with us. The next evening she gave us things she had gathered for her baby: a bouncer, clothes, diapers, and baby coupons. Friday she was moving to St. George so this was our last chance to see her for a bit. We took a fun little travel care package with us for her to enjoy on her way to St. George. We have had many other outing with her since then.

We have developed a great love and friendship with Crystal. There have been many sleepless nights contemplating all that lies ahead. We will forever be grateful to her for her choice to place her daughter with us (yes, she is having a girl). We can't wait to welcome her into this world and our home in 15 days...the baby is coming that soon and we are soooo excited!!

A Break

I definitely took a break over Christmas vacation. I have been busy, but obviously not with blogging :/

We've had a great Christmas, been able to spend time with friends and family, and enjoy time with each other. We were really blessed on Saturday to have so many family and friends help us work on our basement...we are down to just a few sections left to frame :)

We aren't HUGE new year's eve partiers, but we enjoy getting together, playing games, eating food, and being together. My sister, Jessica, offered up her home for people to gather...and we did. Some kids were up super late, others crashed kneeling they were so tired.

 playing faux-cabulary, a new game we got for Christmas...it was a hit with all!

 boys before 9:30

boys around 10...poor little guy was beat!

Christmas Party

Yesterday was our preschool Christmas party. We played lots of games, made something to take home, and I sent them home with a wrapped gift I made for them. I found this pattern via Pinterest, and thought the kids would love them. What I didn't contemplate is the amount of work that it would take. I got emails from a few moms after the kids opened them at home, and the LOVE them. My nephew (almost 2) had the same reaction when I gave him one a few weeks ago.